FIRST EDITION OF SOMERVILLE’S THE CHACE, 1735, HANDSOMELY BOUND
SOMERVILLE, William. The Chace. A Poem. London: Printed for G. Hawkins, and sold by T. Cooper, 1735. Slim quarto, 19th-century full speckled brown calf, elaborately gilt-decorated spine, raised bands, burgundy morocco spine label.
Rare first edition of one of the finest hunting books of the 18th century, “held in high esteem by sportsmen,” handsomely bound.
Country gentleman William Somerville was devoted to field sports. He managed his extensive kennels himself, which consisted of “about twelve couples of beagles, bred chiefly between the small Cotswold harrier and the southern hound; six couples of fox-hounds, rather rough and wire-haired; and five couples of otter-hounds” (Sporting Magazine, 1832). Somerville’s reputation as a poet rests chiefly on “The Chase,” first published in 1735 and “held in high esteem by sportsmen. Many editions of it have been published. Lowndes 2441. See Hugo 181, Podeschi 73.
Light pinpoint foxing to text, minor rubbing to extremities. A near-fine copy, handsomely bound.